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Role of corporate governance in mitigating the selective disclosure of executive stock option information

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  • Jodie Nelson
  • Gerry Gallery
  • Majella Percy

Abstract

We examine the nature and extent of statutory executive stock option disclosures by Australian listed companies over the 2001–2004 period, and the influence of corporate governance mechanisms on these disclosures. Our results show a progressive increase in overall compliance from 2001 to 2004. However, despite the improved compliance, the results reveal managements’ continued reluctance to disclose more sensitive executive stock option information. Factors associated with good internal governance, including board independence, audit committee independence and effectiveness, and compensation committee independence and effectiveness are found to contribute to improved compliance. Similarly, certain external governance factors are associated with improved disclosure, including external auditor quality, shareholder activism (as proxied by companies identified as poor performers by the Australian Shareholders’ Association) and regulatory intervention.

Suggested Citation

  • Jodie Nelson & Gerry Gallery & Majella Percy, 2010. "Role of corporate governance in mitigating the selective disclosure of executive stock option information," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 50(3), pages 685-717, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:50:y:2010:i:3:p:685-717
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2009.00339.x
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    3. Kanapathippillai, Sutharson & Johl, Shireenjit K. & Wines, Graeme, 2016. "Remuneration committee effectiveness and narrative remuneration disclosure," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 40(PB), pages 384-402.
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    8. Merz, Alexander, 2017. "What have we learned from SFAS 123r and IFRS 2? A review of existing evidence and future research suggestions," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 14-33.
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    11. Pamela Kent & Kim Kercher & James Routledge, 2018. "Remuneration committees, shareholder dissent on CEO pay and the CEO pay–performance link," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(2), pages 445-475, June.
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    15. Melis, Andrea & Gaia, Silvia & Carta, Silvia, 2015. "Directors' remuneration: A comparison of Italian and UK non-financial listed firms' disclosure," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 66-84.
    16. Thi H.H. Nguyen & Mohamed H. Elmagrhi & Collins G. Ntim & Yue Wu, 2021. "Environmental performance, sustainability, governance and financial performance: Evidence from heavily polluting industries in China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2313-2331, July.
    17. Ala’ Hussein Albawwat & Mohamad Yazis Ali Basah, 2015. "The Impact of Shariah Approved Companies on the Relationship between Corporate Governance Structure and Voluntary Disclosure of Interim Financial Reporting in Jordan," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 5(2), pages 66-85, April.
    18. Nooraisah Katmon & Omar Al-Farooque, 2019. "The Reciprocal Relationship Between Earnings Management, Disclosure Quality and Board Independence: UK Evidence," Research in World Economy, Research in World Economy, Sciedu Press, vol. 10(5), pages 63-80, December.
    19. Kanapathippillai, Sutharson & Gul, Ferdinand & Mihret, Dessalegn & Muttakin, Mohammad Badrul, 2019. "Compensation committees, CEO pay and firm performance," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    20. Christofer Adrian & Sue Wright, 2020. "Perceptions of shareholders and directors on corporate governance: what we learn about director primacy," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(S1), pages 1209-1236, April.
    21. Chiraz Ben Ali, 2014. "Corporate Governance, Principal-Principal Agency Conflicts, and Disclosure," Working Papers 2014-125, Department of Research, Ipag Business School.
    22. Millicent Chang & Andrew B. Jackson & Marvin Wee, 2018. "A review of research on regulation changes in the Asia‐Pacific region," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(3), pages 635-667, September.
    23. Manjit Kaur Sidhu & Parmjit Kaur, 2019. "Effect of corporate governance on stock market liquidity: empirical evidence from Indian companies," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 46(3), pages 197-218, September.
    24. Cieslak, Katarzyna & Hamberg, Mattias & Vural, Derya, 2021. "Executive compensation disclosure, ownership concentration and dual-class firms: An analysis of Swedish data," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    25. Sutharson Kanapathippillai & Dessalegn Mihret & Shireenjit Johl, 2019. "Remuneration Committees and Attribution Disclosures on Remuneration Decisions: Australian Evidence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 1063-1082, September.

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